LONDON CAMPAIGN

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 135, 5 December 1933, Page 7

LONDON CAMPAIGN

THE OXFORD MOVEMENT*

OPENING MEETING

FREE FROM EMOTIONALISM ,

(From "The Post's" representative.) LONDON, October 19.

Dr. Frank Buchrnaii, the leader of th« Oxford Group Movement, once said that his mission lay not among the poor but among.the rich. This has.certainly given the campaign which has opened in London a great advantage. Whea a large number of titled people, and leaders of the Established Churck openjly express their interest in the movement and attend the first meeting1 th« newspapers have got to take notice.

Apart from this, however, the "Dailr Mail" and the "Evening News" have both published special articles about this new form of Christian endeavour, and special correspondents of other newspapers are set apart t« write up the activities of the missioners. Thus this campaign, for the capture of London is well heralded, and one is apt to forget that other revival campaigns on more conventional lines are in. progress in various parti of the country which obtain no newspaper publicity1. When hundreds 'of .students come from the university; towns bent on bearing testimony.' to their wonderfully changed lives and-of spreading their good news the circumstances are different and carry a news value;

Those who went to the first meeting to find a new sensation were greatly disappointed. The methods of appeal are entirely free from emotionalism o# flashing oratory. The appeal is in what the speakers say and not in how they; say it. . . . q ■■■,■' riBST PUBLIC MEETING. The first public meeting was ' held in the Central Hall, Westminster. Oii the platform were a number of Anglican. Bishops and representatives of the Free Churches, and rows of students from Oxford and Cambridge, most of whom had come to London .by special train to attend the meeting. Outside the scene resembled somewhat ■ the first night of a West End theatw. Long lines of motor-cars were drawn up, and from these stepped, men and women in evening dress.

Tho Metropolitan, of India, who- "presided, said, that a fundamental principle of the Group Movement .was t» put God first. They desired to sea that; in all man's varied activities— God at the heart of the individual, at the head of family ; life, and, God directing all mau's operations, and His glory being the object which, they 'ever kept before their eyes. Apart I from the guidance of God. their work was futile. Team work was of th^ very essence of their movement. They; had come to London confident thatj their message would find a ready welcome.

The Bey. Cuthbert Bardsley, Xurata [of All Hallows', Barking, who presided when Dr. Foss, Westcott left tor one of the overflow meetings, said that they had not come to London to> £jly4. people an emotional thrill for the win* ter. Their vision was of another fire,of the fire of the Holy Spirit burning and quickening and. purifying London —not only the individuals in it, but through them the great life oj the City. London needed a, tremendous renewing ,of life jinder the guidance of God. They lived in a world, that had been knocked off its equilibrium, by, the wax. People were, grasping and longing for something; by which they, could find their feet, and yet had not been able to find1 it. There were new. elements which were spoiling 'lifespeed, mass production, and materialism. They of the Group Movement believed that God had a plan and a purpose for London through the individuals.; Whjett those individuals gave up . their lives to Him they would go out.with,new; vision, new power, and a new purpose* and alter the life of London and'other cities. . .. .: .. ,j Brief testimonies were afterwards given by young members ofthemawfe tment and afterwards by their eKfent